First disturbance more than a month before official start of 2024 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonPainting rain barrels for a good cause
As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, there have been 14,747 positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Florida. The case count includes 14,302 Florida residents and 445 non-Florida residents. There are 296 deaths reported and 1,894 hospitalizations, according to the Florida Department of Health. There have been 138,262 tests administered in Florida. A total of 14,747 tests have come back positive and 123,415 tests have come back negative. The remainder is still pending, according to the FDOH website. There has been one new death in Lee County—a 71-year-old man who had contact with someone positive for the virus. STATEWIDE NUMBERS Total number of cases: 14,747 (up from 14,504) Deaths: 296 (up from 283) 1,118 total cases reported Tuesday 42 total deaths reported Tuesday SOUTHWEST FLORIDA NUMBERS Total in SWFL: 806 (up from 798) Deaths: 22 (up from 21)* 67 new cases reported Tuesday 1 new death reported Tuesday *One death reported on Monday has been redacted. The 62-year-old woman who had traveled to Ecuador’s death was reported March 31, but was originally classified as a Florida resident. That has since been changed, thus removing her from the list. Lee County: 439 (up from 434) Collier County: 271 (up from 268) Charlotte County: 67 (unchanged) DeSoto County: 16 (unchanged) Glades County: 4 (unchanged) Hendry County: 9 (unchanged) Click HERE for a SWFL case-by-case breakdown – updated daily. RESOURCES NOW HIRING: SWFL companies adding jobs as business picks up amid coronavirus crisis LATEST CLOSURES: Southwest Florida business updates and store closings #GulfshoreStrong: Covering people making a difference in SWFL TUESDAYCOVID-19 HEADLINES Lee County orders 3,000 additional hotspots for students learning from home Florida Department of Health launches new self-check website Donation helps SWFL food bank; credit union assists small businesses’ payrolls UPCOMING BRIEFINGS: 1 p.m. Charlotte County Board of Commissioners Special meeting. WATCH HERE 3 p.m. Governor Ron DeSantis to Hold COVID-19 response meeting. WATCH HERE 5 p.m. The White House Coronavirus Task Force daily briefing. WATCH HERE Florida Prepaid College Plan payments deferred Florida families enrolled in one of Florida’s Prepaid College Plans will have their payments deferred until July. The deferred payment option will apply to all 26,000 families who have opened new Prepaid Plans since Open Enrollment began Feb. 1 and to any existing enrollees who are still paying on their plans. New enrollees will make their first payment on July 20 and have their $50 application fee waived. Current enrollees will have their next payment due date moved to July 2020. Payment schedules will be extended by three months. Families can continue to make payments if they choose. IF YOU FEEL SICK: The Florida Department of Health has opened a 24-hour COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours. LINK: Florida Department of Health COVID-19 updates <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> *The map is best viewed on a desktop computer. If you don’t see the map above tap HERE for a fullscreen version.